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Home › Baby Names Directory › Till

Till

♂ Boy

Pronounced TIL /ˈtɪl/High

Meaning: Till is a German short form of Dietrich — from the Germanic theud, 'people,' and ric, 'ruler.' It is carried by the folk trickster Till Eulenspiegel and remains a familiar boys' name in Germany. In English it is also an ordinary word ('till the soil,' 'a shop till'), which we note.Medium

In 30 seconds: One brisk beat from Germany: Till is short for Dietrich, 'ruler of the people' (said 'TIL'). Famous from the trickster Till Eulenspiegel.
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Origin MediumGerman
MeaningTill is a German short form of Dietrich — from the Germanic theud, 'people,' and ric, 'ruler.' It is carried by the folk trickster Till Eulenspiegel and remains a familiar boys' name in Germany. In English it is also an ordinary word ('till the soil,' 'a shop till'), which we note.
U.S. rank (2024)#13998 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 50

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119152024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Till is a German short form of Dietrich, whose Germanic roots are theud, 'people,' and ric, 'ruler.' It is inseparable from Till Eulenspiegel, the trickster of medieval German folklore. In English the same spelling is an everyday word, both a verb for working soil and a name for a shop drawer, which we note honestly (said 'TIL').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare here, familiar in Germany, and short.

Did you know? Till Eulenspiegel, the wandering prankster of German folk tales, made the name a byword for mischief — Richard Strauss even wrote him an orchestral tone poem (said 'TIL').
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Till — German short form of Dietrich; Till Eulenspiegel; English word overlap noted

Variations

TilTilleDietrich

Nicknames

TillyT

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Till…

Finn— a like short European classic
Otto— a same German-heritage pick
Kai— a matching crisp one-beat name
Bram— a like continental short form

Explore names like Till

By themeclassicshortgermanfolklore

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Till mean?

Till is a German short form of Dietrich, from Germanic roots meaning 'ruler of the people.' In English it is also an ordinary word, which we note.

How do you pronounce Till?

It's said TIL /ˈtɪl/ — one syllable.

Is Till a boy or girl name?

Till is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Till?

Till is a very rare name for boys in the U.S., though it is well known in Germany.

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